That California Swimmer Killed by a Shark: Undercurrent 03/2026

That California Swimmer Killed by a Shark

she was wearing a "shark deterrent"

from the March, 2026 issue of Undercurrent

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After a shark attack injured one of their own nearly three years ago, members of the Kelp Krawlers -- who swim weekly around Lover's Point in Monterey -- began wearing shark deterrents, including SharkBanz, magnetic ankle bands designed to overwhelm a shark's electroreceptors -- the sensitive "sixth sense" pores they use to detect the faint electrical heartbeats of nearby prey.

On December 21, Erica Fox, a seasoned triathlete and Kelp Krawlers member, was leading a group of swimmers off Lover's Point when she was attacked by a shark while wearing a SharkBanz. Three Witnesses reported seeing a shark breach just offshore at Lover's Point that morning. Her body was recovered 25 miles from where she was last seen. Her husband said she was still wearing her wetsuit, a Garmin fitness tracking watch, and the SharkBanz around her ankle.

Her death sparked scrutiny among swim club members about whether the devices meaningfully reduce risk. Many of them had purchased SharkBanz, because great white sharks are common along California's coast. SharkBanz says its bands can deter great white sharks that are merely "investigating" prey, because they rely on electroreception while swimming in open water. The company also acknowledges on its website that the product does little to deter ambush attacks when great whites strike at high speeds from below....

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